Coupon-envelop for paper patterns and the like.



W. W. NEWCOIVIB.

lCOUPON ENVELOP FOR PAPER PATTERNS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.2. 1915.

1,177,886. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

NO- 63 79 Ladies 5IN-mwa@ ""PPIQ IScenIs 58 INCH Es Y "f BUST I-'IEASURE UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM WALLACE NEWCOMB, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE McCALL COMPANY, .A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

COUPON-ENVELOP FOR PAPER PATTERNSFAND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application led October 2, 1915. Serial No. 53,822.

for Paper Patterns and the like, of which the following is a specification.

In the paper pattern industry the patterns are usually sold in a number of separate pieces folded and placed in an envelop of thin paper containing directions for use. They are sold for small prices so that it is essential to use comparatively cheap and flimsy paper for the envelop. It is important for the retail dealer to keep his stock of patterns complete (including styles and sizes in each style) and to order immediately a duplicate of each pattern sold. Reordersv are, therefore, usually transmitted to the manufacturer daily. For the purpose of facilitating such reorders envelops have been used containing a reorder coupon giving the number of the pattern contained 1n the envelop,

The present invention relates to an envelop of this general character which is` designed to have certain advantages over those previously used.

- The accompanying drawings illustrate an envelop embodying the invention.

Figure l is an elevation of the upper portion of the face of the envelop; Fig. 2 is an elevation of th`e upper portion of the back; Fig. 3 is a section through the envelop from to to bottom.

eferring now to the embodiment of the -invention illustrated, the front A of the en.- velop contains the usual identifying number and size (No. 637 9 and size 38 inches in the example illustrated). At the upper end is a closing flap B which in use is`tucked into the mouth of the envelop so as to embrace the contents C and hold the latter in the envelop, the thin paper of the envelop being flexible so as to permit the closing of the envelop in this way with rapidity and ease. The great `number of envelops which have to be supplied with patterns and closed in this way makes it important to economize closely the time spent by operatives on each to the portions A and J -of the weakened tearing line E so that it may be easily detached along a determined line and will leave the closing flap B for holding the contents in the envelop.

The coupon bears identical numbers with the envelop (No. 6379 and size 38 in the present case) so that when detached it may be used for ordering a duplicate of the pattern: There may be a single coupon containing the identifying numbers required, or the extension D may be divided into two coupons D and D2 preferably separated by a weakened tearing line F, for a purpose hereinafter described, each coupon bearing the proper identifying numbers.

n The ends of the extension D, printedas a single coupon or as a pair of coupons, are at substantially right angles to the base line or joining line E with the closing flap,

the ends 'of the latter being tapered from its longer base line G tothe somewhat shorter line E, and notches H being formed at the ends of the line E so as to facilitate a quick and accurate detachment of thercoupon or coupons.

The parts B and D constitute an integral extension of the paper of which the envelop is made. .Such paper is creased inward along the base line Grof the flap and outward along the base line E of the coupon portion so that the closing flap may be easily folded within the mouth of the envelop, the nap B embracing the contents of the envelop and the coupon portion D extending in an outward direction from the inner. coupon D is slightly wider than the closing flap so that it'extends beyond the mouth of the envelop when the latter-is closed, as shown inFig. 3. It thus constiutes a reminder to theclerk that the` coupon is to be detached before delivering the pattern to the purchaser.. The back' J has its edge K. which is opposite the closing Hap, concave. This makes a larger throat for the-insertion of the pattern and for the folding in of the closing flap and also, when the envelop is closed, exposes the coupon so as to facilitate the salesmans taking hold of it to pull it 011i?.

The terms back and front, as applied envelop are transposable, since either side may be called the front andthe opposite side the back; and the extension which constitutes the closedge E of the flap. Preferably the` occurs in other styles of envelop Where the' salesman has to thrust his finger or thumb into the envelop in order to get at the coupon. The construction described also saves the single ply edge K of the envelop from injury in transportation since it is protected by the three plies of paper at the opposite side all projecting beyond the edge K.

The salesman having Withdrawn the coupon D and delivered the pattern Will transmit the coupon to the purchasing department. If a single coupon is used 'the proper V clerk in this department Will make an entry in his books of the reorder of this pattern, copying the number from the coupon, and Will forward the coupon to the manufacturer. The clerk has, therefore, to make a suitable entry in his books before reordering the pattern. In busy times this is an inconvenience. I provide, therefore, Where two coupons are used, for a memorandum Which the clerk may retain in' addition to the reorder coupon. D2, for example, is marked Retain this coupon as record of sale and reorder; While D" is marked Reorder by sending this coupon to The Company, 236 W. 37 St., N. Y. City. The reorder coupons being immediately mailed, the sales memorandum coupons may be laid aside and accumulate until a convenient opportunity7 for entering them in the appropriate book, or they may constitute, themselves, the book of reorders by means of which the clerk may check the invoices which are received with duplicate patterns.

It is customary in the shops not to permit the return of patterns once sold, since the purchaser might use the patterns for copying and then return them. My improved envelop provides a check against the return of such patterns by error of the retail salesperson or'othervvise. The lack of a reorder coupon on the envelop is indicated at once by the absence of a projecting portion thereof as indicated in Fig. 3, as Well as by the torn edge of the closing Hape ln this respect the present construction is advantageous as compared with envelops hav-- ing a reorder coupon on the opposite edge from the closing flap, which is ordinarily tucked in, the lack of which would not be so readily noticeable.

The manufacturer usually carries the different styles and sizes, amounting to several thousand different patterns in all, in a lineof bins arranged in chronological order. Vhere reorders come in in the usual Way on a list upon which the numbers are placed by the retail clerk as they are sold and Without chronological order, the'clerk refilling the order at the factory has to go back and forth along the line ofbins in order to pick out the proper numbers as arranged on such a list (or has to rewrite the list of numbers in chronological order,

which Iwould take even more time); and` the same difficulty applies Where a single coupon is attached to the envelop and the retailer keeps thesev coupons and sends to the manufacturer a Written list of reorders. With the present improvements the manufacturer Will receive reorders on printed slips with the numbers conspicuously 'displayed and all of the same size so 'that they can be quickly and easily arranged in chronologicalorder and the Work of taking the desired numbers from the proper bins is facilitated, the operator having to pass'only once along the line of bins. Acconvenient system for example, for arranging the reorder coupons chronologically, is to provide a slip of gummed paper with the successive numbers printed thereon; the operator sticking each coupon on the slip of paper alongside of the corresponding number lso that he will have a slip with the coupons arranged thereon chronologically.

The portions of the envelop which are out off from Figs. 1 and 2 may be of any suitable construction and design. Usually both the front and the back contain printedV matter in the way of directions and advertisements. Usually also the envelop is made of a single sheet of paper With the front folded over on the back and the lower edge and one side edge glued together. The invention may be applied to these and to various modifications of these usual styles of envelops.

Various modifications also may be made of the design and arrangement of the iap and coupon illustrated Without departing from the invention as delined in the following claims.

What I claim is- 1. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprislng an envelop having at one side of its mouth an extension comprising two members, one a closing flap tapered from its base outward so as to be easily tucked in and to hold the pattern within the envelop and the other a reorder coupon located at the outer edge ofthe iiap and of less Width than the base line of the flap so that it may be easily tucked in with the flap and adapted f to be easily detached and to leave the flap for holdingthe pattern in the envelop, the envelop and the coupon bearing identical numbers so that the detached coupon may be used for ordering a duplicate of the pattern.

2. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprising an envelop having at one side of its mouth an extension consisting of two parts, one a closing flap taperedfrom its base to its outer end and the other a reorder coupon located at the outer end of the closing flap and of less width than the base line of the flap, the envelop and the coupon bearing identical numbers so that the detached coupon may be used for ordering a duplicate of the pattern, the Hap being bent inward along its base and tucked into the mouth of the envelop so as to close the latter and hold the patternv therein and the coupon being folded outward along its base so as to exiilend outward from the tucked in edge of the 3. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprising an envelop having at one side of its mouth an extension consisting of two parts, one a closing flap tapered from its base to its outer end and the other a reorder coupon located at the outer end of the closing Hap and of less width than the base line of the flap, the envelop and the coupon bearing identical numbers so that the detached coupon may be used for ordering a duplicate of the pattern, the Hap being bent inward along its base and tucked into the mouth of the envelop so as to close.the latter and hold the pattern therein and the coupon being folded outward along its base so as to eX- tend outward from the tucked in edgeof the iap, the coupon being'wider than the flap so as to extend beyond the base of the tucked in flap and to constitute a reminder that it is to be detached when the pattern is sold.

4. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprislng an envelop having at one side of its mouth an eXtenslon comprising two mem-- bers, one a closing flap tapered from its base outward so as to be easily tucked in and to hold the pattern within the envelop and the other a pair of coupons located at the 'other and from the flap to leave thev flap for holding the pattern in the envelop, each of said coupons and also said envelop bearing identical numbers so that the coupons may, also be detached from each other and used as a memorandum of sale vand a reorder respectively. p

5. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprising an envelop having a closing flap adapted to close the envelop and hold the pattern therein and a pair of coupons adapted to be easily detached from the envelop and from each other, each of said coupons and also said envelop bearing identical numbers so that they may be used as a'memorandumof sale and as a reorder respectively, said coupons being arranged alongside of each other at the outer edge of the-flap so as to consti- -tute a single extension from the flap, notches being c'ut at the ends of the base line of said coupon extension by which the two coupons may be accurately and rapidly detached at -one operation.

6. A combined envelop and reorder coupon for paper patterns and the like comprising an envelop having at one side of its mouth an extension comprising a closing flap adapted to-close the envelop andhold the pattern therein and a reorder coupon adapted to be easily detached and to leave the flap for holding the pattern in the envelop, the envelop and the coupon bearing identical numbers so that the detached coupo-n may be used for reordering a duplicate of the pattern, the line between the flap and the coupon being parallel with that between the body of the envelop and the flap, the flap being tapered from its base outward and notches being cut at the ends of the base line of the coupon to facilitate theV accurate detachment of the latter.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM WALLACE NEWCOMB. 

